Katra, Jammu and Kashmir: The holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi is witnessing a massive rush of devotees during the ongoing Shardiya Navratri festival. According to officials, more than 3.81 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the shrine between October 11 and 2 PM on October 19.
Located in the Trikuta Hills of Reasi district, the shrine has been receiving a steady flow of devotees amid clear weather and a festive atmosphere in Katra, the base camp of the pilgrimage. Officials expect the number of pilgrims to increase further on the occasion of Dussehra.
During the first eight days of Navratri, around 3.62 lakh devotees visited the holy shrine. On Monday, more than 20,000 pilgrims had proceeded towards the Bhawan by the afternoon.
The daily pilgrim footfall remained high throughout the festival. A total of 47,574 devotees visited the shrine on October 11, followed by 48,400 on October 12, 46,558 on October 13, 41,961 on October 14 and 39,951 on October 15. On October 16, 41,750 pilgrims visited the shrine, while 48,500 devotees paid obeisance on October 17 and 47,700 on October 18.
To facilitate pilgrims, services such as helicopter rides, battery-operated cars, ponies and pithus are available along the pilgrimage route. Special facilities have also been arranged for differently-abled devotees, including free pony and battery-car services, priority darshan and dedicated help desks.
Meanwhile, the nine-day Shat Chandi Maha Yagya entered its ninth day at the shrine complex, with Vedic rituals and prayers being performed at the Yagyashala.
The shrine, pilgrimage track and Katra town have been decorated with flowers, fruits and lights. Security arrangements have been strengthened, while drinking water, sanitation, medical assistance and emergency response services have been made available at key locations.
With Dussehra approaching, authorities expect another increase in the number of devotees visiting the holy shrine.
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